This time of year, my grove of Japanese maple trees is aglow with autumn color - bright yellows, oranges, and reds.
Many of my Japanese maples are varieties of Acer palmatum - trees that have been cultivated in Japanese gardens for centuries. Over the last several years, I’ve planted many of these trees in one section of a shade garden not far from my chicken coops and tropical hoop houses. They were planted in honor of my late sister, Laura Plimpton, who adored these trees. These specimens provide countless variations in size, leaf shape, and color, creating a landscape of beauty and texture that gets better and better every year. This week, my outdoor grounds crew turned their attention to this grove, adding nutrient-rich composted mulch to each specimen, covering their bases just to the root flare, so they are all well-protected during the colder season.
Enjoy these photos.
Every year, all of us here at the farm wait for this woodland to burst with color. With more than a thousand varieties and cultivars including hybrids, the iconic Japanese maple tree is among the most versatile small trees.
Japanese maples are native to areas of Japan, Korea, China, and Russia. In Japan, the maple is called the “autumn welcoming tree” and is planted in the western portion of gardens – the direction from which fall arrives there. I love the contrast between the bright reds, oranges, yellows, and greens in this grove. The heavy leaf cover on the ground also enriches the soil and adds even more fall color.
But those brilliant fall colors aren’t a guarantee. The colors are a result of climate, weather, and environmental conditions. Here in the Northeast, fall weather usually arrives in September, with temperatures cooling off rapidly at night even when the days are still warm. These cool nighttime temperatures trigger the leaf-changing process. Unusually warm early fall weather may even prevent the leaves from turning red. This is because the color changes occur with gradually cooling temperatures – not cold snaps.
The deciduous trees above have already lost all their foliage leaving all the gorgeous colors down below.
Leaf color best develops when nighttime temperatures remain above freezing but below 45-degrees Fahrenheit. A sudden cold snap could turn the leaves more plum-brown seemingly overnight, skipping the vibrantly red stage altogether.
This year, the warmer weather lasted longer than usual, and it’s been unusually dry, but we’ve watered where necessary and these trees are still giving a good show.
Red leafed cultivars are the most popular, followed by green shrubs with deeply dissected leaves.
I also have more rare varieties. These leaves are deeply divided, but each lobe is also dissected, giving them a lacy effect.
This compact Japanese maple has narrow, sword-like leaves that are deep red to plum in color.
Japanese maple forms can be weeping, rounded, dwarf, mounding, upright, or cascading. Japanese maples typically grow about one-foot per year for the first 50-years, but they can live to be more than a hundred.
Many of the Japanese maples with green spring leaves will eventually turn to an orange color in the fall. This orange can range everywhere between a darker burnt orange and a bright, almost florescent orange.
With the right conditions, the fall colors of the Japanese maple may last for several weeks. Unfortunately, as it gets colder the colors begin to dull.
My crew is busy adding composted mulch to the base of every Japanese maple in this grove. I am fortunate to be able to make lots of compost here at my farm.
As each wheelbarrow is filled, Alex manually drops a certain amount around each tree depending on its size. The composted area around a tree should extend to the drip line of the branches, or at least cover a four to five foot diameter area around the trunk.
The crew is doing this just in time. They noticed a couple of trees had lost soil around their bases caused by run-off. Composting now ensures all the trees will be well-protected during the cold season.
Here, José uses a hard rake to spread an even layer around the tree base.
It is important to only cover up to the root flare. The root flare is a swelling at the base of the trunk where the roots begin to spread out. It’s usually visible at or near ground level.
When mulching, start the layer about four to six inches from the trunk and spread it out wide. The mulch should be just a few inches thick, and not mounded directly around the trunk.
Adding composted mulch is good to do in spring and in the fall. Not only does this look great, but it prevents weeds, gives the trees essential nutrients, and insulates the roots.
Looks great, José and Alex! This week, daytime temperatures dipped into the 50s, so it was good to get this task done.
As the weather cools even more and daylight hours shorten, the leaves of the trees continue the autumn process of drying out, and falling off until the tree bare. And then come spring, new leaves emerge again.
This project is almost complete, and the trees look excellent.
I am sure my sister Laura would be very happy to know I am taking such good care of these Japanese maples.
I'm on my book tour this week, so I hope to see you at one of my appearances! Last month, I celebrated the launch of this milestone book, at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's new Midtown restaurant, 425. The event kicked off this year's New York Wine and food Festival. Hosted by Chef Jean-Georges and Lee Brian Schrager, Festival Founder and Director, guests were treated to a menu inspired by my book as well as some of Jean-Georges' own exquisite dishes. Later that week, Chef Daniel Boulud and I hosted a brunch at Tiffany's Blue Box Café, where I personally signed more than 50 books before sharing a wonderful three-course meal. You may have seen photos of both events on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48. Please get a copy of my book. "Martha, The Cookbook: 100 Favorite Recipes, with Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen," is a collection of 100 of my most treasured recipes and tips, along with photos from my personal archives and the stories behind them. I am very proud of this book. It's the one I know you'll want to read cover to cover.
Enjoy some of these celebratory photos.
I’m currently on a book tour for my 100th book. I hope you’ve signed up for one of these events. I’ll also be sure to share some photos.
Last month, I enjoyed a very special party on the top floor of 425 Park Avenue to celebrate “Martha: The Cookbook: 100 Favorite Recipes with Lessons and Stories from My Kitchen.” The party was hosted by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and the Bank of America. So many people attended – devotees, food enthusiasts, colleagues, and friends.
Here I am with Chef Daniel Boulud and his wife, Katherine Gage Boulud.
And here’s a photo of me and Chef Jean-Georges.
During the reception, bites inspired by my book were served. These are puff pastry cheese straws.
And these are called gougères. A gougere in French cuisine is a baked savory choux pastry made of choux dough and mixed with cheese. These are always a big hit at my own parties.
Here I am with Chef Jean-Georges and Lee Schrager.
Also in attendance, restaurateur Drew Nieporent.
Lisa Wagner was part of a small team that helped me with this 100th book. Lisa and I have known each other for many years. She was an original member of my creative team for the Martha Stewart Living Magazine.
Here I am with Chefs Jean-George and Daniel Boulud.
Business entrepreneur Roy Tin also stopped by the event.
And look who else… none other than my dear friend, Snoop Dogg!
Who do you think got the best snapshot of us?
It was a fun evening and the best way to launch this year’s New York Wine and Food Festival and to celebrate my book! Be sure to get a copy!
Later that same week, I hosted a brunch with Chef Daniel Boulud at the legendary Blue Box, the charming and elegant Daniel Boulud-run café inside Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship store. Here I am with our own Thomas Joseph and Kevin Sharkey.
It was good to see Chef Jean-George at this event too.
Tables were set with the iconic “Tiffany blue” colored plates.
And here I am with my longtime publicist and friend, Susan Magrino. It was a marathon week of celebrations for my book, and we’re still going strong.
Get tickets to see me at these book tour events. I started in Boston and am in Long Island, New York City, and Charleston, South Carolina.
If you're looking for an interesting and unique plant that's sure to stand out in your collection, consider a carnivorous pitcher plant.
Sarracenia, or the American pitcher, is a cold-hardy perennial native to the boggy areas of eastern coast of North America, from northern Florida through New England. The carnivorous plants are easy to grow in containers in a sunny location and eat an abundance of insects every summer. In autumn, they stop growing and go dormant, some even dropping the tall pitchers and then regrowing them in spring. My head gardener, Ryan McCallister, potted two specimens, Sarracenia 'Conversation Piece' and Sarracenia 'Bug Bat,' in a container with peat moss, Perlite, sand, charcoal, and gravel to mimic a bog-like environment.
Enjoy these photos.
Pitcher plants have special leaves shaped like hollow tubes, open on top. They feed on insects attracted to a sweet nectar-like scent that leads them down the tube where they are trapped and eventually digested.
Sarracenia ‘Conversation Piece’ has slender lime green pitchers with red hoods and distinctive veining. Flowers appear in summer as tall, nodding blooms. In fall the pitchers turn burgundy with black veins.
Pitcher plants love bog-like environments. Potted bogs can be made easily in containers without drainage holes and layers of coarse gravel for drainage, and a mix of peat moss and sand as the growing medium.
Ryan selects a glass container that is at least 10 inches wide and several inches deep.
This is Black River Gravel. Gravel helps create a more porous potting mix, which is important for preventing plant roots from becoming waterlogged.
Ryan covers the bottom with an inch or two of the coarse gravel.
Charcoal increases the fertility of mix, improves water retention, and helps prevent erosion.
Ryan pours an even layer into the container over the gravel.
In a trug bucket, Ryan combines two parts peat moss with one part horticulture sand and perlite. Peat moss is a brown, fibrous material that’s a combination of decomposed plant matter and organic debris that accumulates in wetlands.
Sponge rock, also known by the name Perlite, decreases compaction of mix, increases aeration and helps to retain moisture. Sponge rock is a volcanic glass that expands when heated and becomes very porous.
And lastly, Ryan adds a layer of horticultural sand.
And then mixes everything up thoroughly…
Here, Ryan adds the bog mix to the container.
And spreads the even layer across the container leaving about and inch at the top.
Carefully, he plants the bog-loving Sarracenia ‘Conversation Piece’ into the mix, ensuring the roots are covered.
Here he is planting the other pitcher plant, Sarracenia ‘Bug Bat.’ It shows taller, more slender copper-colored pitchers topped with rounded, arching, reddish hoods.
After planting, Ryan tamps down carefully to ensure good contact between the plant and the potting mix. The pot should remain consistently damp.
Most bog plants thrive in partial sunlight, but check specific plant requirements. Ryan places the bog pot in an area that gets at least five hours of direct sun a day.
Ryan gives it a generous drink. I have well water, but if needed, one can use distilled. Do you know the difference between a bog, a swamp, and a marsh? Marshes form near ponds and lakes. Reeds, grasses and other soft-stemmed plants grow there. Swamps have more trees and woody-stemmed shrubs. Bogs begin as shallow ponds that slowly fill with rotting leaves and plants. Then mosses and other plants grow spreading out across the surface.
For maintenance, aside from keeping moist, Ryan will monitor the temperature, as some bog plants may need protection from extreme heat or cold.
I think they will thrive here on this windowsill in my head house. What do you think of carnivorous plants?
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